Written question asked by Richard Taylor (Independent (affiliation)) on Thursday, 19 November 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 November 2009. It was answered by Baroness Merron (Labour) on Monday, 30 November 2009 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Obesity: Health Services

Question: (2) what recent assessment has been made of the adequacy of specialist obesity services in England;

Answer: The Department does not hold information on the number of specialist weight management service providers, nor the average waiting time for patients who are referred to a specialist weight management service. It is up to primary care trusts (PCTs) to commission weight management services according to their local needs.The Department has not undertaken a formal assessment of specialist obesity services. However, earlier this year we produced a list of nine pre-qualified providers to help PCTs procure child weight management services. As part of this process, providers were assessed against agreed criteria. These providers cover a range of areas across England.In addition, we would expect PCTs to ensure that all weight management services that PCTs commission are compliant with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on the prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in adults and children.

Secondary information